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The Daily Insight

How do worms cause anemia

Author

Mia Kelly

Published Mar 03, 2026

Hookworms feed on blood in your intestines. An untreated, severe infection results in blood loss. Blood loss can lead to anemia and protein deficiency.

Do parasites affect iron levels?

Infectious diseases, particularly parasitic diseases, also lead to both extracorporeal iron loss and anemia of inflammation, which decreases bioavailability of iron to host tissues.

Can tapeworms cause low iron?

The tapeworm absorbs the nutrition from food that the infected person eats. This may lead to vitamin B12 deficiency and anemia.

Can intestinal worms cause anemia?

When adult worms first attach in the intestine, they can cause pain in the upper abdomen, loss of appetite, diarrhea, and weight loss. Over time, severe infections cause anemia as blood is lost, and people become iron deficient.

What parasites cause anemia?

Because Babesia parasites infect and destroy red blood cells, babesiosis can cause a special type of anemia called hemolytic anemia.

Can roundworms cause anemia?

They feed off the blood of the infected person, which can cause anemia. Children are especially vulnerable to this kind of infection. These roundworms infect about 25% of the world’s population.

What disease does pinworms cause?

Pinworm infection (called enterobiasis or oxyuriasis) causes itching around the anus which can lead to difficulty sleeping and restlessness. Symptoms are caused by the female pinworm laying her eggs.

Can Threadworm cause anemia?

weight loss, increased appetite, or both. abdominal pain, diarrhea, and vomiting. sleeping problems. anemia.

Do parasites need iron?

Cappello suspects that a high iron level may poison hookworms, and that a low iron level prevents worms from developing into their adult blood-sucking form. Boosting infected people to moderate iron levels with supplements could put them in the ideal range for hungry hookworms, he says.

What infections can cause anemia?
  • chronic infections (e.g., tuberculosis, lung abscess, and endocarditis)
  • autoimmune diseases or diseases with inflammation (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, giant cell [temporal] arteritis)
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What are the symptoms of having a parasite?

  • Stomach cramps and pain.
  • Nausea or vomiting.
  • Dehydration.
  • Weight loss.
  • Swollen lymph nodes.
  • Digestive problems including unexplained constipation, diarrhoea or persistent gas.
  • Skin issues such as rashes, eczema, hives, and itching.
  • Continuous muscle and joint pain.

Can pinworms cause anemia?

In girls and women, pinworms may invade the vulva and vagina, causing a discharge and itching like that more often associated with a yeast infection. The worst cases, like Ann’s, can result in anemia, severe redness and rawness in the anal area and fever.

Can pinworms cause B12 deficiency?

The patient and family were treated with albendazole with increasing serum B12 levels and resolution of her symptoms. Pinworm infestation as a cause of tissue eosinophilia and Vitamin B12 deficiency would have been undiagnosed if the worm and ova had not been found on follow-up colonoscopy.

What parasite causes Microcytic anemia?

The blood loss caused by hookworms can produce a microcytic hypochromic anemia.

What happens if pinworms go untreated?

In rare cases, if the infestation is left untreated, pinworm infections can lead to a urinary tract infection (UTI) in women. Pinworms can also travel from the anus into the vagina, affecting the uterus, fallopian tubes, and other pelvic organs. This may result in other infections, including vaginitis and endometritis.

How do I get rid of worms naturally?

Coconut is the most effective home remedy to treat intestinal worms. Consume a tbsp of crushed coconut in your breakfast. After 3 hours, drink about one glass of lukewarm milk mixed with 2 tbsps of castor oil. Drink this for a week to get rid of all types of intestinal worms.

What is the fastest way to get rid of pinworms?

Pinworms can usually be treated completely with two doses of over-the-counter medicine called pyrantel pamoate, available in the United States under the brand names Pin-X and Reese’s Pinworm Medicine. Take one dose immediately and another dose two weeks later.

Can hookworm cause anemia?

The most serious effects of hookworm infection are the development of anemia and protein deficiency caused by blood loss at the site of the intestinal attachment of the adult worms. When children are continuously infected by many worms, the loss of iron and protein can retard growth and mental development.

What are the symptoms of hookworm?

Itching and a localized rash are often the first signs of infection. These symptoms occur when the larvae penetrate the skin. A person with a light infection may have no symptoms. A person with a heavy infection may experience abdominal pain, diarrhea, loss of appetite, weight loss, fatigue and anemia.

Can roundworms cause blood in stool?

Roundworm eggs cannot survive in the environment for long without a host. An infected pet may experience symptoms such as diarrhea, bloody stools, weight loss/failure to gain weight, and/or a round, potbellied appearance.

What is worm infestation?

The common worm infestations are Threadworm, Round Worm and Hookworm. As the name suggests, worm infestation means the presence of worms in your child’s body, specifically in his or her intestines.

What it feels like to have pinworms?

Symptoms of pinworm infection may include: Itching of the anal or vaginal area. Insomnia, irritability, teeth grinding and restlessness. Occasional stomach pain and nausea.

Can you have worms and not know?

Intestinal worms can also cause a rash or itching around the rectum or vulva. In some cases, you will pass a worm in your stool during a bowel movement. Some people may have intestinal worms for years without experiencing any symptoms.

What time of night do pinworms come out?

The female adult worms leave the anus in the middle of the night while the person is sleeping to deposit her eggs around the skin of the perianal region. The eggs become infectious within a couple of hours after being deposited and can survive for about 2 weeks outside the host.

What can worsen anemia?

A history of certain infections, blood diseases and autoimmune disorders increases your risk of anemia. Alcoholism, exposure to toxic chemicals and the use of some medications can affect red blood cell production and lead to anemia. Age. People over age 65 are at increased risk of anemia.

Can a bacterial infection cause iron-deficiency?

Background: During bacterial infection, pathogen and host compete for iron (Fe). The inflammatory response associated with infection shifts Fe from the circulation into storage, resulting in hypoferremia and iron-deficient erythropoiesis, and ultimately contributing to the anemia of inflammation.

Can fungal infections cause anemia?

Severe aplastic anemia is almost always fatal unless treated. Invasive fungal infections, particularly those caused by Aspergillus species, have long been recognized as a major cause of death in severe aplastic anemia.

How do you know if you have worms in your stomach?

  1. Abdominal pain.
  2. Diarrhea.
  3. Nausea or vomiting.
  4. Gas or bloating.
  5. Dysentery (loose stools containing blood and mucus)
  6. Rash or itching around the rectum or vulva.
  7. Stomach pain or tenderness.
  8. Feeling tired.

Can blood test detect parasites?

Blood tests Some, but not all, parasitic infections can be detected by testing your blood. Blood tests look for a specific parasite infection; there is no blood test that will look for all parasitic infections.

What kills parasitic worms in humans?

Today, only one drug, praziquantel, is widely used to treat schistosomiasis. It works primarily by killing the adult stages of the parasite in the human body.

Which parasite causes deficiency of vitamin B12?

The fish tapeworm, Diphyllobothrium latum, does not leave the intestinal tract. It does, however, compete with the host for dietary vitamin B12, and megaloblastic anemia and neuropathy due to vitamin B12 deficiency can develop in some infected patients. The pork tapeworm, Taenia solium, may cause cysticercosis.